Hello and welcome to our new feature: The Estate Agent Diary. Every week Ben Thompson from Churches Estate Agents in Dublin will be discussing what’s happening in the world of estate agency. This week…
Monday
Feeling fresh and ready to go this Monday morning! Not all Dublin estate agents are on their holidays. We had a busy day of viewings on Saturday and now is the time to follow up with prospective buyers.- Our new two bed apartment at The Gasworks was VERY popular. It had only been on the market since Wednesday night and we already had 8 viewers for Saturday at 11am. Two more viewings scheduled this week already. This will go fast.
Fairly interesting demographic of buyers. 60% were Googlers or other local tech workers, but not one of them were Irish. These multinational HQs are bringing in workers from around the world and they are committing to stay in Ireland for the long term. I think it’s great for the city!
The remaining interest is from investors, naturally these apartments lend themselves to renting to those very same workers who haven’t decided to buy yet or are only here short term.
Tuesday
Rain rain, go away. Looks like summer has given up the ghost.Met a lovely family looking to move out of Blackrock and downsize to the Wicklow Hills new homes development in Newtownmountkennedy.
It’s a great time to downsize and / or relocate to the country. Their 3/4 bed family home in Blackrock will be eagerly snapped up by young family (it’s practically opposite one of the best schools in the area and backs into a park). They will get a great price and be able to buy a new 3-bed semi-detached home for half the price. Great value for money to be had only 30 minutes outside of Dublin.
The next phase of new homes there aren’t on sale until the new year so this is a sale that will wait until November or January (See my FAQ: When’s the best time of year to sell my house?).
Wednesday
We lost a client today – we won’t be ashamed to admit it happens sometimes.
We’d been quietly showing her property off-market while they completed the refurbishment of their new property. The plan was an official launch in Autumn. Then low and behold it’s on another agent’s website today!
Sad to see really but we can’t get bitter. You win some, you lose some. At least we know why. When an agent is offering bargain-basement fees it’s hard not to look at the savings and think it’s a no brainer. But we often forgot that your agent shouldn’t be a commodity (just decided on the price) – they are an important adviser and someone you need to trust to do the best job for you.
We’ve had plenty of clients come back to us after bad experiences with agents who really didn’t care. We’re definitely not the cheapest on the market and we don’t want to play that cut-rate game. You get what you pay for… Would you choose the cheapest dentist or doctor? Or the best?
Thursday
I have a full afternoon of viewings today with my Wicklow properties. They really are very popular right now. We have two similar but different properties in middle Wicklow: Thistledown in Newtownmountkennedy and this lovely house in Bel Air Road in Ashford.
Bel Air is a stunning location, perched high on the hills overlooking Wicklow and the sea. Nearby is Ashford which is a great little town and the Bel Air Hotel and Equestrian Resort – this is the perfect area for any one horsey in nature. The house itself has 6 bedrooms and has been fully refurbished throughout. Includes a sauna and a hot tub at the highest point of the garden!
We have an initial offer, albeit a low one, but it’s a start and get the ball rolling with other buyers to make counter-offers.
Friday
My viewing of Thistledown last night was incredible. It was a second viewing of my most interested buyer but this time she brought back her whole family and the kids loved the place. They were picking bedrooms already.
Sneaky Estate Agent Tip #163: Pester-power doesn’t just sell sweets and toys, it can sell property too!
I almost felt bad for her. She has to buy the house now! She looks like a front runner but we have strong interest so it will come down to the bidding.
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36 Brighton Avenue, Foxrock
Elsewhere we are setting up for our weekend viewings. After a long summer of being unavailable to view, our stunning Foxrock property at 36 Brighton Avenue is back on view tomorrow. At €850,000 for a substaintial 4-bed in a highly sought-after address, this is a popular property.
It’s a lovely sunny day again today, looking forward to a weekend of viewings!
